As it makes its way through the complete string quartets of
Haydn, the
Buchberger Quartet is proving to be not only one our era's finest
Haydn quartets, but one of history's finest. In this set of the six Opus 64 quartets from 1790, the German quartet catches the works' wonderful combination of formal mastery and emotional excitement. At this point in his career,
Haydn was about to embark on his greatest adventure -- his departure from the Esterhazy estate where he had served as composer and music director for nearly three decades for a life as an itinerant and highly successful freelance composer -- and these quartets show signs of his energy and anticipation. And so do these performances. With its customary wit, spirit, and technique, the
Buchberger Quartet digs into
Haydn's music, giving each work its own character but acknowledging the common traits that make
Haydn Haydn: the felicitous phrasing, the surprising forms, the sturdy rhythms, and the urbane sense of humor. If you're looking for your first recording or yet another recording of the Opus 64 quartets, this set is as good as it gets. Brilliant's digital sound is rich yet clear, detailed by colorful, and vivid but not too close.